Chronic lung lymph fistula in the goat.

Goats have been prepared with chronic lung lymph fistulas in a manner similar to that described in sheep. Only one thoracotomy is needed to resect the posterior portion of the caudal mediastinal lymph node and to cannulate the main efferent duct. Comparison of data from the goat and from the sheep was accomplished by infusion histamine and by increasing left atrial and systemic venous pressures. Histamine infusion resulted in an increase in lymph flow (QL) from a base-line level of 7.3 36 ml/h and an increase in lymph-to-plasma protein ratio (L/P) FROM 0.70 to 0.82 (n = 2). In goats subjected to an increase in microvascular pressure averaging 18.2 cmH2O, QL increased from a base line of 6.7 to 23.0 ml/h, while the L/P decreased by 0.21 (n = 5). Elevation of systemic venous pressure by 8-9 cmH2O did not change QL (n = 4). Thus, the cannulation in the goat is similar to the sheep in response to induced permeability edema and hydrostatic edema, and similar with respect to lymph purity tests.